Friday, June 4, 2010

When our family moved away from Kenya two years ago, an amazing transformation was taking place at the Nest in Limuru. Three young British men were volunteering tremendous amounts of time to help construct a first-rate playground for the children right in the middle of the compound. When I visited the Nest six months ago, here is what I discovered...

The children had watched the construction porcess for so long, eagerly anticipating the fun they could have. When it was finished, the director insisted that they wait even longer (several months), so that the grass would have time to establish itself. Limuru gets a lot of rain, and she was imagining a giant mud pit, and lots of dirty feet and clothes!

The old red slide is given a new home!

The children were happy to demonstrate for me the variety of fun things to do!

The leadership team of the Nest had been envisioning such a playground for a long time, not just for amusing the children, but also as a form of gross-motor play therapy.

The three young men did the hard labor of installing the playground equipment, but there were many others who hleped arrange for the donation, shipment and acquisition of the goods.

Wouldn't it be fun to gather all of us who have partnered with the Nest in some way, and have a field day and picnic with the children and staff!

Jump for Joy!

There is no need to mow around the equipment, because the goats provide that service. In exchange they like to climb around and have fun too! The goats were a gift from a neighbor, and as they breed, the Nest is expected to bless someone else with a small herd! The goats also provide milk for the beloved Chai (tea).

The big kids are allowed on the big equipment, but the small ones must play in their own area. They look on with envy and wait for the day when they can try it out! Use of the playground is restricted to times when it can be supervised by adults, and as a result the equipment is in excellent condition!

Those of us at Saba, International thank you for your ongoing prayer and financial support, and pray that God would continue to watch over the work of the Nest Children's Home as they strive to bring justice into the lives of children and their mothers.